The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing fines totaling more than $350,000 against SkyWest Airlines for civil violations that increased the risk of a plane crash. The violations disclosed by the Federal Aviation Administration occurred between July 2009 and July 2010.

The largest fine of $220,000 is for the airline’s failure to document heavy checked bags, and heavy shipments carried in cargo. Because of this, the airline operated aircraft with incorrect weight and balance data. The FAA is also proposing a civil penalty of $70,500 for the airline's failure to follow a continuous airworthiness maintenance program. According to the FAA, SkyWest operated an aircraft that had not been properly maintained on at least five revenue passenger flights.

The agency is also proposing a fine of $60,500 because of allegations that the airline operated noncomplying, Bombardier jets on at least eight revenue passenger flights between May 30th and June 1, 2010. In this case, the agency says that the airline mechanics failed to follow the carrier’s continuous airworthiness maintenance program while replacing an air-conditioning pack valve.

SkyWest Airlines insists that the safety of its flights was not compromised. The company has 30 days in which to appeal the fines.

These are not the only allegations against SkyWest that California plane crash lawyers have been monitoring. The airline is currently the focus of six ongoing investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board. These investigations involving everything from cabin door maintenance deferral procedures to landing gear problems.

These actions by the Federal Aviation Administration indicate that the agency is taking noncompliance with aviation safety regulations by carriers very seriously indeed. The agency has come under much criticism from California plane crash attorneys over the past couple of years, including its failure to rein in carriers.

A report by investigators from the Transportation Department indicates that Northwest Airlines failed, for more than 10 years, to follow federal safety regulations. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Federal Aviation Administration failed to enforce its own regulations and hold the airline accountable.

The report came after a review of several whistleblower allegations, specifically involving Northwest. In 2005, FAA Inspector Mark Lund alleged that high-ranking officials at the agency, who were responsible for overseeing Northwest, frequently gave the airline a free pass when it came to fines or penalties, allowing the airline to voluntarily disclose failures. In 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration started a national review of safety compliance. The review found 14 instances in which Northwest Airlines failed to comply with federal safety regulations. These 14 episodes occurred during a four-month period. In fact, Northwest compliance failure rates were some of the highest among all airlines.

According to the report, Northwest continued to flout federal safety regulations even after the review ended. By September 30, 2009, there had been at least eight other instances in which Northwest failed to carry out federal safety orders. According to the report, given that Northwest has a history of not following federal safety orders, there is little information about the status of the pending orders, which number about 1,000. Last year, Northwest Airlines merged with Delta Air Lines, and now flies under the Delta name.

With this report, Lund’s allegations have been substantiated. He had been put through severe stress because he blew the whistle. California aviation lawyers and aviation safety specialists will find it appalling that an inspector of the country’s premier aviation safety agency had to jump through so many hurdles and cross so many obstacles, just to inform the flying public about the dangers they face from airlines like Northwest.